Integrated upper receiver and integrated lower receiver for the ar10 and ar15 platforms

ABSTRACT

A lower receiver of a rifle is connected to a buffer tube of the rifle. A buttstock is formed of a frame extending around the buffer tube with a lower portion of the frame connecting to the lower receiver. An opening to the buffer tube includes a curved transition region to the top of the lower receiver. The lower receiver, frame, and buffer tube are formed monolithically of a single piece of material. A grip frame may be formed monolithically with the lower receiver. A buttstock frame may be formed monolithically with a buffer tube that defines a threaded portion for securement to an upper receiver of a rifle.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This application relates to the construction of firearms.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The AR10 and AR15 are very popular firearm platforms. There are manyinterchangeable, aftermarket components available making the platformvery versatile. The standardization of the system is convenient forinterchangeability. It would be an advancement in the art to improve thefunctionality and versatility of the AR10 and AR15 firearm platforms.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the invention, an apparatus includes a lower receiverfor a rifle, a buttstock monolithically secured to the lower receiver,and a buffer tube monolithically formed in the buttstock. A rib mayextend rearwardly from the lower receiver, the buttstock securing to therib. The buttstock may include a buttstock frame that is formedcontinuously with the rib and extends from the rib, around the buffertube and secures to a top of the buffer tube.

In some embodiments, a butt pad secures to a rear portion of the frame.The butt pad may be adjustable. A cheek piece may be secured to aportion of the frame above the buffer tube. A grip frame may bemonolithically secured to the lower receiver.

In some embodiments, there is a first curved transition between a top ofthe receiver portion and the buffer tube.

An upper receiver may be secured to the lower receiver. The upperreceiver may include a second curved transition sized to nest within thefirst curved transition. A scope mount may be monolithically formed onthe upper receiver. The upper receiver may include a threaded opening ata front end thereof and sized to receive a rifle barrel without the needfor a barrel nut.

The apparatus may include a rifle barrel threaded into the threadedopening. A plurality of first rifle components mounted within the upperreceiver may include (a) a gas block and gas tube, (b) a bolt carriergroup, (c) a charging handle, (b) a forward assist, and (c) an ejectionport cover. A plurality of second rifle components mounted within thelower receiver may include a trigger mechanism, an ejector mechanism,and a hammer mechanism.

In another aspect, an apparatus includes a buffer tube defining athreaded portion for securement to a lower receiver of a rifle. A frameis monolithically formed around the buffer tube and forms a buttstockfor the rifle. The frame and buffer tube are monolithically formed. theframe comprises a loop of material extending around the buffer tube. Theapparatus may include a butt pad secured to a rear portion of the frame.The butt pad may be adjustable. A cheek piece may be secured to aportion of the frame above the buffer tube, the cheek piece beingadjustable.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred and alternative examples of the present invention aredescribed in detail below with reference to the following drawings:

FIG. 1 is a partial cross sectional view of a buttstock of an AR15 inaccordance with the prior art;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a barrel attachment design of an AR 15in accordance with the prior art;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a scope mount for an AR 15 in accordancewith the prior art;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a lower receiver, buffer tube, andbuttstock for an AR15 in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 5 is a side view of components of an AR15 including the upperreceiver, lower receiver, buffer tube, and buttstock for an AR15 inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a side view of a buttstock and buffer tube for an AR15 inaccordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A typical AR10 and AR15 firearm platform includes an upper receiver 10,a lower receiver 12, and a buttstock 14. A buffer tube assembly includesa buffer tube 16 having a buffer mass 18 sliding within it and a spring20 biasing the buffer mass 18 toward the lower receiver 12.

In a typical AR15 and AR10, the buffer tube 16 is threaded onto thelower receiver 12 and requires several components to align and secure itto the lower receiver 12. The buttstock 14 is then attached to thebuffer tube and is adjustable fore and aft. The complexity of thisdesign is problematic for several reasons. First, because the buffertube is a thin metallic tube with a threaded end and is cantilevered offthe back of the firearm, it is common for the buffer tube to fail at thethread due to an impact or excessive static pressure. Second, the designis heavy due to many discrete components. Finally, the rifle is tediousand time-intensive to assemble and disassemble. The hand grip 22 of atraditional AR10/AR15 is attached to the lower receiver 12 with a singlebolt. The strength of this connection can be improved upon through theproposed design disclosed herein.

Referring to FIG. 2, the barrel 24 of a traditional AR 10/AR 15 utilizesa threaded extension 26 which allows it to be slipped into the upperreceiver 10. A barrel nut 28 is threaded onto the upper receiver 10 tohold the barrel extension 26 to the upper receiver 10. The accuracy ofthe rifle depends on the torque setting of this nut.

Referring to FIG. 3, when a scope 30 is utilized, it is mounted to ascope mount 32, which attaches to the upper receiver via a Picatinnyrail 34, which is a dovetailed attachment method. The accuracy of thescope 30 depends on the alignment of the scope 30 to the mount 32 aswell as the mount 32 to the upper receiver 10. There are alsoopportunities for weight savings by simplifying this attachment method.

FIG. 4 illustrates an improved design for an AR 15 and AR 10. Theimproved design may be understood with respect to a longitudinaldirection 40, lateral direction 40 b, and vertical direction 40 c thatare all perpendicular to one another. The longitudinal direction 40 amay correspond to the length of the barrel of the AR 15 and AR 10 andthe direction of travel of a bullet fired by the AR 15 and AR 10.

The illustrated assembly 42 may include a lower receiver portion 44 anda buffer tube-buttstock assembly 46.

The lower receiver portion 44 includes a lower receiver 47. The lowerreceiver 47 may include sides 48 opposite one another that define acavity for receiving components of the AR 15 and AR 10 such as thetrigger mechanism, ejector mechanism, and hammer mechanism. The sides 48may be parallel to the longitudinal and vertical directions 40 a, 40 c.The size and configuration of the cavity may be according to any designknown in the art for receiving any of the lower-receiver-mountedcomponents of an AR 15 or AR 10 as known in the art. A top 50 of thelower receiver portion 44 defines one or more openings 52 providing apass through to engage components housed in the upper receiver. Inparticular, the ejector mechanism and hammer mechanism may protrude upthrough the openings 52.

The lower receiver portion 44 further defines a magazine sleeve 54 sizedto receive a magazine supplying loaded rounds through the openings 52 tothe components in the upper receiver. A trigger guard 56 is mounted orformed on the lower receiver portion and is positioned aft of themagazine sleeve 54.

Aft of the trigger guard 56, the lower receiver portion 44 may include agrip frame 60 defining openings 58. Grip plates 64 may secure on eitherside of the grip frame 60, such as by means of fasteners passing throughthe grip plates 64 and the openings 58. In the illustrated embodiment,the grip frame is a rib forming a loop extending down from the sides 48and back up again in a plane parallel to the longitudinal and verticaldirections 40 a, 40 c.

In the illustrated embodiment, a portion 70 of the lower receiverportion 44 extends aft of the cavity defined by the sides 48 of thelower receiver portion 44. For example, the sides 48 may extendrearwardly from the cavity and be flush and continuous with sides of arib 70 extending rearwardly from the cavity. The buffer tube-buttstockassembly 46 may be secured to this rib 70.

The buffer tube-buttstock assembly 46 includes a buffer tube 72 sized toreceive the buffer mass 18 and spring 20 of an AR 15 or AR 10. A lowersurface of the buffer tube 72 is fastened to the rib 70. As is apparent,there may also be a curved transition region 74 from the upper surface50 of the sides 48 to a perimeter of the opening 76 to the buffer tube72.

In the illustrated embodiment, the rib 70 forms part of a buttstockframe of the assembly 46. In particular, note how the rib 70 maycontinue along a portion of the underside of the buffer tube 72 and thenslope downwardly from the buffer tube (down frame 80) to a bottom frameportion 82, which then is connected to a rear frame portion 84, which isconnected to a top frame portion that connects to and extends along thetop of the buffer tube 72. As is apparent there may be roundedtransition regions between each frame portion (between 80 and 82,between 82 and 84, and between 84 and 86). It is apparent that theportions 70, 80, 82, 84, 86 of the buttstock form a rib of material thatforms a loop in a plane parallel to the longitudinal and verticaldirections 40 a, 40 c.

As shown in FIG. 4, the rear frame portion 84 may provide a point ofattachment for an adjustable butt pad. For example, the rear frameportion 84 may define openings 88 that receive posts 90 secured to abutt pad. The posts 90 may be secured within the openings 88 due to theopenings 88 and posts 90 being threaded, set screws extending into theopenings 88, or some other securement means.

In some embodiments, a cheek piece 94 secures to the top frame portion86. The cheek piece 94 may have the same securement means as theadjustable butt pad 92 (posts extending within openings in the top frameportion 86) or have some other adjustment means (see, e.g., FIG. 6). Theadjustable butt pad 92 and cheek piece 94 may make use of any approachfor implementing an adjustable butt pad 92 and cheek piece 94 as knownin the art of firearm manufacture.

In the illustrated embodiment, the lower receiver portion 44 and buffertube-buttstock assembly 46 are all formed of a single piece of material,excluding any grips 64 and the adjustable butt pad 92 and cheek piece94. For example, a single monolithic piece of aluminum or steel may bemachined to have the features of the lower receiver portion 44 andbuffer tube-buttstock assembly 46 as described above.

As is apparent in the description of FIG. 4, the buffer tube 72 may beintegrated with the buttstock, grip, and lower receiver 47, such as bymilling the lower receiver 47, buffer tube 72, and buttstock from asolid piece of aluminum. By integrating these components into one piece,structural integrity can be greatly improved by eliminating weak pointssuch as the threaded portion of the buffer tube 72. The weight can bereduced by eliminating the various components required to fasten thebuffer tube 72 to the lower receiver 47 as well as the bulky removablestock and the components required to fasten the stock to the buffertube.

As shown in in FIG. 4, the design may also include an integrated handgrip “spine” 60 or “backbone” that may also be machined from the samesolid piece of aluminum. Grip plates 64 are attached to either side ofthe spine to create a customizable look and feel to the firearm. Thiseliminates the single-bolt connection of the standard AR grip design.

Referring to FIG. 5, in some embodiments an upper receiver portion 100may secure to the lower receiver portion 44 and buffer tube-buttstockassembly 46. The upper receiver portion 100 includes an upper receiver102. The upper receiver 102 may define a cavity sized and configured toreceiver the upper-receiver-mounted components of an AR 15 or AR 10,such as the gas block and gas tube, bolt carrier group, charging handle,forward assist, and ejection port cover. As known in the art, the cavityof the upper receiver 102 defines one or more openings on its lowersurface to enable the upper-receiver-mounted components to interfacewith the lower-receiver-mounted components.

The upper receiver 102 may define a front opening 104. The front opening104 may be threaded to receive a threaded aft end of a barrel 114,thereby eliminating the need for the extension 26 and barrel nut 28 ofprevious designs.

The upper receiver 102 may define a rear opening 106 sized to interfacewith the opening 76 of the buffer tube 72. The upper receiver 102 maydefine a curved transition region 108 from the rear opening 106 to alower surface 110 of the upper receiver. The curved transition region108 may be shaped and sized to nest within the curved transition 74between the top surface 50 of the lower receiver portion 44 and theopening 76.

In some embodiments, scope mounts 112 may secure to the upper receiver102 and each define a semi-cylindrical seat for a scope. The scopemounts 112 may have the shape and configuration of the lower portion ofany scope mount (e.g., a lower part of a tube ring) known in the art andmay therefore define features, e.g. threaded openings for securing theupper portion of a scope mount (e.g., upper part of a tube ring) asknown in the art.

In some embodiments, the upper receiver portion 100 is made of a singlepiece of material, e.g. milled out of a single piece of aluminum orsteel. In particular, the scope mounts 112 and upper receiver 102 asdescribed above may be machined into a single monolithic piece ofmaterial.

The upper receiver portion 100 of FIG. 5 addresses the weight,complexity, and accuracy issues of prior upper receivers by simplifyingthe barrel attachment and scope attachment. The barrel 114 may bethreaded directly into the upper receiver, thus eliminating the barrelextension 26 and barrel nut 28. By simplifying the attachment of thebarrel 114, the accuracy of the rifle will be improved.

As shown in FIG. 5, scope mounting rings 112 (e.g., lower ring portions)may be machined directly into the upper receiver instead of having thescope mount as a separate component. By integrating the scope mount 112,the alignment of the scope to the upper receiver 102 will be improved.The additional weight of mounting fasteners and the scope mount clampingmechanism are eliminated reducing the overall weight of the rifle.

FIG. 6 illustrates an alternative embodiment of a buffer tube-buttstockassembly 120. The assembly 120 may be used with a conventional AR 15 andAR 10 or may be used with in AR 15 and AR 10 using the upper receiverportion 100 described above with respect to FIG. 5. The lower receiverportion 44 may be the same as shown in FIG. 4 except that the buffertube-buttstock assembly 46 is no longer connected by rib 70 to the lowerreceiver 47.

In the illustrated embodiment, the rib 70 may be replaced with a frameportion 122 that connects to the down frame portion 80 and extendstoward a threaded portion 126 of the buffer tube-buttstock assembly 120.The threaded portion 126 may be sized to thread into a portion of theupper receiver of an AR 15 or AR 10 according to a conventionalapproach. In some embodiments, a front frame portion 124 connects to theframe portion 122 and the upper frame portion 86 in order to provide acomplete loop defining the buttstock in a plane parallel to thelongitudinal and vertical directions 40 a, 40 b. The threaded portionmay protrude from the front frame portion 124. As for the embodiment ofFIG. 4, there may be a curved or beveled transition regions betweenframe portion 122 and front frame portion 122 and between front frameportion 122 and top frame portion 86.

FIG. 6 further illustrates an approach for attaching the cheek piece 94to the upper frame portion 86. In the illustrated embodiment, the upperframe portion 86 defines a slot 128 that receives a flange or plate 130secured to the cheek piece 94. In the illustrated embodiment, the flangeor plate 128 includes two flanges or plates 130. The flanges or plates130 may be thin such that they may pass round the buffer tube 72 and mayalso be curved to extend around the buffer tube 72. The portion of theupper frame portion 86 in which the slot 128 is formed may be widenedalong the lateral direction 40 b relative to portions of the upper frameportion 86 on either side. The upper frame portion 86 may definethreaded openings 132 that pass into the slot 128 for receiving setscrews that engage the flanges or plates 130 for fixing their positionrelative to the upper frame portion 86. Note that the cheek piece 94 andupper frame portion 86 of FIG. 4 may use the fastening means illustratedin FIG. 6.

FIG. 6 illustrates another embodiment of the design that integrates thebuffer tube and stock into one assembly that can be attached to astandard lower receiver via the standard method. This offers the benefitof the simplified stock design with its weight savings and reduced partcount while maintaining compatibility with existing rifles. Because astandard lower receiver would be used in this embodiment, the standardgrip design may also be retained as opposed to the integral gripproposed in the embodiment of FIG. 4.

By integrating the various auxiliary components to the upper and lowerreceivers where they are milled from a single piece of material, manyadditional design options are available. The design can featuredifferent overall shapes and sizes as well as different size and shapelightening holes, cutouts, and pockets. The surface of the part can beadorned with different textures, logos, images, etc. to allow infinitecustomization.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated anddescribed, as noted above, many changes can be made without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope ofthe invention is not limited by the disclosure of the preferredembodiment. Instead, the invention should be determined entirely byreference to the claims that follow.

1. An apparatus comprising: a lower receiver for a rifle; a buttstockmonolithically secured to the lower receiver; and a buffer tubemonolithically formed in the buttstock.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1,further comprising a rib extending rearwardly from the lower receiver,the buttstock securing to the rib.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, whereinthe buttstock comprises a buttstock frame that is formed continuouslywith the rib and extends from the rib, around the buffer tube andsecures to a top of the buffer tube.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3,further comprising a butt pad secured to a rear portion of the frame. 5.The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the butt pad is adjustable.
 6. Theapparatus of claim 3, further comprising a cheek piece secured to aportion of the frame above the buffer tube.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6,further comprising a grip frame monolithically secured to the lowerreceiver.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a first curvedtransition between a top of the receiver portion and the buffer tube. 9.The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising an upper receiver securedto the lower receiver.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the upperreceiver comprises a second curved transition sized to nest within thefirst curved transition.
 11. The apparatus of claim 9, furthercomprising a scope mount monolithically formed on the upper receiver.12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the upper receiver furthercomprises a threaded opening at a front end thereof and sized to receivea rifle barrel.
 13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising: therifle barrel threaded into the threaded opening; a plurality of firstrifle components mounted within the upper receiver, the first riflecomponents including (a) a gas block and gas tube, (b) a bolt carriergroup, (c) a charging handle, (b) a forward assist, and (c) an ejectionport cover; a plurality of second rifle components mounted within thelower receiver, the second rifle components including a triggermechanism, an ejector mechanism, and a hammer mechanism.
 14. Anapparatus comprising: an upper receiver for a rifle sized to receivewithin itself rifle components including one or more of (a) a gas blockand gas tube, (b) a bolt carrier group, (c) a charging handle, (b) aforward assist, and (c) an ejection port cover; and a scope mountmonolithically formed on the upper receiver; wherein a forward portionof the upper receiver defines a threaded portion for receiving a riflebarrel.
 15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein a rearward portion of theupper receiver defines a curved region for nesting with a lowerreceiver.
 16. An apparatus comprising: a buffer tube defining a threadedportion for securement to an upper receiver of a rifle; and a framemonolithically formed around the buffer tube and forming a buttstock forthe rifle; wherein the frame and buffer tube are monolithically formed.17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the frame comprises a loop ofmaterial extending around the buffer tube.
 18. The apparatus of claim17, further comprising a butt pad secured to a rear portion of theframe.
 19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the butt pad isadjustable.
 20. The apparatus of 16, further comprising a cheek piecesecured to a portion of the frame above the buffer tube, the cheek piecebeing adjustable.